Moon telescope would offer online views of Earth from lunar surface

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Ever wonder what it would be like to stand on the moon and look back at Earth?

You'll soon have to experience that view, via the Internet.

There's a plan to send a telescope to the moon in 2015 to allow Earthlings to view the Earth from the lunar surface.

The privately funded telescope, known as the International Lunar Observatory precursor, was designed and built by Silicon Valley-based Moon Express.

Company CEO Bob Richards says the shoebox-sized telescope will provide a unique view.

The Canadian-born Richards says people on Earth will even be able to manoeuvre the telescope by remote control to give them out-of-this-world access to galaxies, stars and planets.

The telescope was tested in December 2011 from the summit of the Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii and the flight-test hardware was unveiled yesterday in Vancouver.

Photos

Steve Durst, an American businessman and educator, admires the ILO-X lunar telescope which was designed and built for his International Lunar Observatory Association by Silicon-Valley based Moon Express Inc. is shown in this undated handout photo. (HO-Moon Express / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

The ILO-X lunar telescope which was designed and built for his International Lunar Observatory Association by Silicon-Valley based Moon Express Inc. is shown in this undated handout photo. (HO-Moon Express / THE CANADIAN PRESS)